I HATE THE ALARM CLOCK I CHOSE - failed hunt

[Cloudyfur]

One thing had become painfully clear to Cloudypaw since joining Thunderclan. She hated hunting. When she tried to lower into the same crouch as her peers, her weight just didn't settle beneath her as naturally as theirs did. Moving like that was even more of a struggle. Every step threatened her balance, and she always bumped and brushed against things she didn't mean to. It all made her feel clumsy, oafish, and way way too big.

Nevermind the fact that she couldn't really track anything.

When she stumbled upon a squirrel, it was by accident. She had been entirely focused on maintaining her balance. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she took step after step. Her plan had just been to act like she was tracking something, and hope that no one realized she had no idea what she was doing. At least until she spotted it. A squirrel just ahead of her, with its back turned.

Cloudypaw froze, her heart almost jumping out of her chest. Her eyes went wide. She was so close to it, closer than she'd ever gotten. It felt like a miracle. If she could catch this, bring it back to camp, then everyone would see that she wasn't just a 'kittypet.' A word she'd only learned in the short time since she'd joined, but one she had quickly grown to fear. It meant that she wouldn't belong here, if she was one, and she wouldn't let that happen. This was her fresh start and she wasn't going to let it go to waste.

The young molly stood there, watching her prey for a long moment, too long. Her legs began to ache. It could dart away any moment, and she knew that. Any movement she made, though, might scare it away too. She just needed to figure out how to get to it. A few steps closer would bring her to it, but she didn't trust herself to make it that far quietly. Not with how her legs were shaking. A leap, she decided, that would get her close enough.

She tensed.

Then she sprung forward. Or, tried to.

Everything went wrong at once. Her back-foot slipped as she pushed herself forward, the underbrush caught against her pelt, and a small cry of alarm left her just from how overwhelmed she was. The chubby apprentice came tumbling out of her hiding spot, sending the squirrel skittering away in a panic.​

 

[BERRYHEART]

For all his cluelessness in the field of medicine, one aspect Berryheart was beginning to treasure greatly was the lack of questioning. Often he could go herb-hunting, a multitask with a leisurely saunter through the oak forest, and no-one would dare query his intentions or objectives. In truth his gathering was often motivated by a need to unwind- to let his mind wander into a brief stroll, and perhaps witness something that would further his education.

That was not the scene that he ended up limping onto. Tumbling out of the bush came a chubby form, and just-about disappearing into a tree Berryheart noticed the fluffy tail of a fleeing rodent. Perplexed eyes of olivine slipped down to where Stumbles lay, and he could imagine the stars flitting around her head at such a tumble. His dappled head tilted, ever-unable to hide his confusion- what had it been that had sent her flying so? There was no huge rock, no cat nearby to push her...

Silent, Berryheart held a paw out- aid offered to help her to her feet after such an unfortunate miss. There was no judgement in his eyes despite his obvious puzzlement- only the weak glint of concern. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[Cloudyfur]

As her senses returned to her, and she spit the dirt from her mouth, she caught sight of a tom standing over her. Shame flooded through her. Of course someone had seen her embarrassing display. Sheepishly, she accepted his helping paw. "Thank you." She muttered quietly, getting her weight beneath her once more. Her eyes were affixed firmly on her paws. She was too ashamed to look anywhere else. "I'm Cloudy, uh, Cloudypaw. What's your name?"

It took her a moment to recognize how confused he looked. A moment more to realize that he must not have recognized why she was sent sprawling. Her shame only grew. "I, uh, tripped." She half explained in a soft tone. "Was trying to catch it." She added with a vague gesture in the direction the squirrel had disappeared in.​

 

[BLACKMOON]

I AM THE DEVIL THAT YOU FORGOT​

---

"Damn, that's rough. Still, no matter, practice makes perfect." Blackmoon spoke up as he strolled over to the pair, his gaze flitting between Cloudypaw and Berryheart. The apprentice seemed to be fine at least, though he knew appearances could at times be deceiving. "If you've got any scuffs ensure you tell him about them, but if not then I suggest you get back to the hunt." His tone might have been gruff but this was perhaps the closest Blackmoon could get to being nice and supportive. In the end he simply couldn't care less about one's history, he only cared about what path laid ahead.​

 

[Cloudyfur]

Cloudypaw met the gaze of another tom addressing her with wide eyes. Telling her gruffly to get back to it, that doing that was the only way she would improve. She hoped he was right about her improving, at least. Right now it felt like she might never get better.

"R-right!" she replied, nodding quickly. Then, she blinked as she registered the other thing he'd said. Her gaze turned to Berryheart quizzically. "Is that something you can do? Treat scuffs and stuff?" She'd never met a cat who could do something like that. There weren't any back in twolegplace, at least not that she knew of.​

 

[Downpour.]

THE ONLY PEICE OF YOU I CAN TOUCH​

hailpaw | 05 months | trans demi-girl | they/them + feminine terms | physically easy | mentally easy | attack in bold skyblue​

---

They watch their sister with a wince - eyes losing in empathy at what must have been a painful tumble. By the time they make it over cloudy is already getting back up - as cheery as ever it seems. The girl circles her sibling for a moment - they want to make sure she's okay, that she's not seriously harmed, before their gaze lands upon the cat she's questioning. Downpour finds themselves just as curious to hear the answer themselves - being able to heal wounds without the help of the cutter - who they can remember scruffing them and pricking them with some sort of metal claw once - seems pretty useful. They wonder if all the cats here know how, or just the one.